Receptive copy sheets and process

ABSTRACT

Copy sheet which is adapted for use as a pattern sheet in connection with the cutting of fabrics and which has an imagereceptive surface which is capable of being imaged by means of ball-point pen, carbon transfer compositions and liquid inks, which surface is non-tacky to the touch and which has release properties with respect to adhesive compositions.

0 finned Siates Paient 11 1 1111 3,869,307 Newman et a1. 1 1 Mar. 4,1975 [54] RECEPTIVE COPY SHEETS AND PROCESS 3,531,312 9/1970 Newman117/36.1

, 7 1751' Douglas Newman; Mbw 3:233:31? 11311 B1;f?i.11,.,.. 151 /1555Brown both Of Glen Cove, 3,681,105 8/1972 Milutin 612111 117/122 P 73Assignee: Melvin Sharkey, Hewlett, N.Y. gi s; [22] Filed: Oct. 4, 1972Primary Examiner-Thomas J. Herbert, Jr. [21] Appl' 2947881 Attorney,Agent, or Firn1Th0mas L. Tully; Arthur A.

Johnson [52] 11.8. C1. 117/122 PA, 117/36.1 [51] 11M. C1. C09j 7/02,B41111 5/02 57 ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 1. 117/122 P,36.1, 122 PA,C h d df t h 117/33, 76 A, 36.4, 68.5; 161/162 .OPYS P apte use as 1 em5 5* 1n connecnon w1th the cuttlng of fabrics and wh1ch [56] ReferencesCited has an imagereceptive surface which is capable of being imaged bymeans of ball-point pen, carbon UNITED STATES PATENTS transfercompositions and liquid inks, which surface is Rizner non tacky to thetouch and has release proper- 3'463-654 8/1969 117/361 ties with respectto adhesive compositions 3,472,674 10/1969 1. 1l7/36.1 3,476,937 11/1969Vrancken 117/361 X 12 Claims, N0 Drawings RECEPTIVE COPY SHEETS ANDPROCESS In order to improve the receptivity of paper for a variety ofimaging materials, particularly for pressuretransferable layers, it iswell known in the art to apply a receptive coating to the paper. This isparticularly true with respect to forms and copy pads where up to sevenor more duplicate copies are required corresponding to the imagingpressure applied against the original or top sheet.

The conventional receptive coatings generally contain tacky or adhesivebinder materials comprising tacky waxes such as paraffin or adhesiveresins such as butadiene-styrene copolymers in combination with clay orother inorganic porous filler. Such coatings are either so tacky oradhesive that they attract dirt and cause the sheets to stick togetherunder certain conditions or, if sufficient porous filler is included toovercome these problems, they are not sufficiently adhesive to providethe desired receptivity, and furthermore the coatings are brittle andtend to crack and to transfer or pick to the transfer layer or to anadhesive layer or to the back of the paper if the paper is wound in acontinuous roll.

The problem is particularly critical in the case of continuous rolls ofpattern paper which have a receptive coating adapted to have a patterninscribed thereon by means of ball-point pen, carbon paper or liquid inkand which have adhesive applied to the opposite surface for purposes ofadhering lengths of the inscribed pattern paper to the uppermost ply ofa pile of superposed fabric sheets which are to be cut to the outline ofthe inscribed pattern. In such rolls the receptive coating is in contactwith the adhesive back and must have the ability to release from theadhesive without transferring to the adhesive or pulling the adhesivefrom the back and- /or tearing the paper.

It is known to provide a smooth plastic coating or an oily coating onthe back surface of an adhesive coated paper roll or web to function asa release surface for the adhesive. While this is quite satisfactory fora variety of uses, it is not satisfactory in cases where the backsurface of the web must be receptive to ballpoint pen, carbon transfercompositions and/or liquid inks since such surfaces do not accept and/orretain such imaging materials.

With these considerations in mind, it is the principal object of thepresent invention to provide copy sheets which carry a receptive coatingwhich has improved properties of image receptivity with respect toballpoint pen, carbon transfer compositions and liquid inks, saidcoating being non-tacky to the touch and resistant to sticking to othersurfaces in contact therewith, such as in a roll.

It is another object of this invention to provide pattern copy sheetsand ribbons or strips having said receptive coating on one surface andhaving adhesive on the opposite surface, for adhering the imaged copysheet to a fabric sheet to be cut, said receptive coating having theability to release its adherence to the adhesive on the underside whenthe sheet is withdrawn from a continuous roll thereof.

It is an advantage of this invention that the present image-receptivecoatings are translucent so as to provide a natural appearance, smoothto the touch so as to facilitate handling of the sheets and flexible soas to permit flexing and folding of the sheets without damaging thecoating.

ing a normally tacky or adhesive wax and/or resinouselastomer and atleast about 10 percent by weight, based upon the weight of the bindermaterial, of an inert synthetic organic polymer in the form of sphereshaving an average particle size between about 1 and 40 microns. Thepolymer spheres are present as such in the receptive coating andtherefore must be insoluble in the volatile solvent used to apply thecoating to the sheet and are inert with respect to the binder materialso as not to be plasticized or otherwise disturbed in the coating.

Basically 'it appears that the compositionof the polymer spheres may bevaried widely depending upon the identity of the binder material and thevolatile solvent or temperature used to apply the coating. Spheres suitable for use in one system may be compatible with or plasticized by thewaxes or resins or soluble in the solvent, or meltable at thetemperature used, in another system. Preferred because of theirinertness, temperature resistance and insolubility with respect to mostwax and resinous binder materials and volatile solvents are the highmelting point polymer spheres commercially available under thetrademarks Polymist (Allied Chemical Company) and Fluon (ImperialChemical Industries). Polymist A 12 comprises polyethylene sphereshaving an average sphere size of 12 microns, a melting point of 284 Fand a specific gravity of 0.99. Fluon F comprises polytetratluroethylenespheres having an average sphere size of less than 5 microns, a meltingpoint greater than 600 F and a specific gravity of 2.28. Polymist 5 is asimilar material having an average sphere size of 4 microns and amelting point of about 660 F. All of these materials are available inthe form of dry powders which can be conveniently mixed with the wax hotmelt or the solution of the binder material with which they are to beused.

The preferred resinous elastomers are polybutene, polybutadiene,butadiene copolymers with styrene and- /or acrylonitrile, polyvinylethers, polyisoprene, polyisobutylene, and the like. The preferredmaterials are the lndopol polybutenes available from Amoco ChemicalsCorporation and having mean molecular weights ranging from 320 (Is-l0)up to 2150 (ll-1900), and the Vistanex isobutylene polymers availablefrom En jay Company and having mean molecular weights ranging from 8,700to 11,700. These materials are generally used in association withsecondary resinous binder materials, preferably with which they arecompatible, at least at elevated temperatures, and which are lessadhesive so as to provide a blend having the desired degree ofadhesiveness. Such other resins include polyolefins such aspolyethyleneand polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylic and methacrylic polymers andcopolymers, polyvinyl butyrate, nylon, and the like. The preferredsecondary resinous binder materials are the polyethylene emulsionsavailable from Allied Chemical Co. under the trademark Polyethylene A-C.Polyethylene A-C 6 has an average molecular weight of 2,000 and asoftening point of 222 F. The only requirement is that if a mixture ofresins is used, the resins must be soluble, at least at elevatedtemperatures, in a common solvent or solvent mixture which is not asolvent for the polymer spheres.

The preferred wax binder materials are the normally tacky waxes such asbeeswax, paraffin wax, or the like, alone or in combination with anadhesive resinous binder material such as a polybutene elastomer or thelike. Such mixtures are applied as hot melts. In general most waxes canbe used in association with an adhesive resinous binder material whichplasticizes them to produce a tacky combination.

The weight ratio between the polymer spheres and the binder materialwill vary depending upon the degree of adhesiveness of the bindermaterial and the final properties desired. In general the ratio rangesbetween about 311 and 1:10, the preferred ratio being about 1:2.

It is not completely clear how the polymer spheres function in thepresent receptive coatings but it appears that the spheres migrate tothe surface of the coating during drying or cooling of the coating toform a surface stratum of discrete polymer spheres which are tightlybonded to the binder material. Thus the surface of the coating is notadhesive to the touch and feels smooth. However, under the effects ofimaging pressure, the adhesive binder material exudes around the polymerspheres and/or the spheres are pressed partly below the surface of thebinder material whereby the adhesive binder contacts and holds theimaging material being pressed thereagainst. In the absence of imagingpressures, the polymer spheres maintain the adhesive binder materialsubstantially out of contact with the hands or with sheets pressedthereagainst under overall pressures less than localized impact orimaging pressures.

According to the embodiment of the present invention in which anadhesive, such as spaced adhesive applications, is present on theunderside of the sheet or web, opposite the receptive coated side, thismay be accomplished by first applying the receptive coating to onesurface of the sheet or web and then applying the adhesive to the otherside so that when the web is wound on a roll, the adhesive will contactthe receptive coating, which has release properties, and no separateinterleaf sheet is required. The adhesive preferably is applied in theform of spaced squares or stripes of double-sided adhesive tape which iscommercially available, or may be printed on in the form of spacedsquares, dots, stripes, circles, or the like, using a solution of any ofthe elastomers mentioned hereinbefore in a volatile solvent, followed byevaporation of the solvent. Generally the adhesive applications arespaced by from 1 to 4 inches, the spacing permitting the sheet to beeasily removed from adherence to another sheet such as a ply of clothwithout damage to the latter.

The following example is given as an illustration of a specific methodfor producing a receptive copy sheet using specific compositionsaccording to one embodiment of the present invention.

A web of 8 pound Kraft paper is coated on one surface with a continuoussmooth layer of the following composition, applied at a weight of about2 pounds per ream (3300 square feet):

Ingredients Parts by Weight 6 grams -Continued Ingredients Parts byWeight Polyethylene Spheres A 12 (Allied) 6 dov Mineral spirits 88 do.

The composition is prepared by dissolving the polyethylene A-C 6 resinand the polybutene resin in 30 grams of the mineral spirits solvent at atemperature of 220 F, using agitation, to form a clear solution. Thebalance of the solvent is then added and the solution is cooled to roomtemperature. The solution passes through a cloud point and turns whiteand increases in viscosity due to at least a portion of the A-C 6 resincoming out of solution. Then the Polymist spheres are added withagitation to form a uniform mixture which is coated onto the paper base.

The coated paper is heated to a temperature of about F to evaporate thesolvent and form the dried receptive coating which weighs about 2 poundsper 3,300 square feet of paper base and which has a translucent whitishcolor. It has been found desirable to heat the dried coating to anelevated temperature above the softening temperature of the bindermaterial but below the melting point of the polymer spheres, i.e., from225 F to 250 F in most cases, to produce receptive coatings having thebest properties.

If the coated paper is to be used as pattern paper in connection withthe cutting of fabric to conform to the outline of the pattern imaged onthe sheet, it is preferred to provide the uncoated surface of the paperbase with a multiplicity of spaced adhesive applications. This may beaccomplished by bringing the uncoated surface of the paper base intocontact with a printing roller adapted to apply a multiplicity of spacedlines or dots of a solution of an adhesive binder material such aspolybutene resin, polyvinyl ethyl ether or butadiene-styrene copolymer,dissolved in a volatile organic solvent, to print the adhesive solutionthereon followed by evaporation of the volatile organic solvent to leavethe adhesive residue.

The receptive coating has excellent receptivity to ball-point inks,commonly used in the garment field to mark a pattern outline on apattern sheet. It also has excellent receptivity to the so-called dryhectograph copy inks which comprise dye-colored oil images which areimpressed against the pattern sheet to form duplicate copies, in theabsence of volatile solvents which present a danger in the garmentfield. U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,683 is set forth as illustrative of suchprocess and inks.

The receptive coating also has excellent receptivity to carbon transfercompositions and to the so-called carbonless copy transfer compositionswhich generally are not pressure-transferable except to a speciallycoated receptor sheet. In cases where three or more copies are beingmade in the carbonless copy system, the sheets employed commonly havethe receptive coating present on the top surface of the sheet and thecarbonless transfer layer on the under surface of the sheet forpressure-transfer to the receptive coating on the top surface of thenext underlying sheet. U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,711 is set forth asillustrative of such a system and of transfer layers suitable for usewith the present receptive layers.

It is also noted that the present receptive coatings havepressure-adhesive properties and therefore can be used as adhesive tapesin systems where it is advantageous to use a tape which is non-adhesiveto the touch but which becomes adhesive under the effects of heavypressure applied by hand or by pressure roller, or the like.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claimsand portions of the improvements may be used without others.

We claim:

1. Receptive copy sheet comprising a flexible foundation having on thesurface thereof a receptive coating which is capable of being imaged bymeans of ballpoint pen ink, pressure-sensitive transfer compositions andliquid inks, said receptive coating comprising from about 25 percent to90 percent by weight of a solid adhesive resinous binder material andfrom about percent to 25 percent by weight, based upon the weight ofsaid binder material, of polymer spheres consisting of an inertsynthetic organic polymer and having an average particle size of fromabout 1 to 40 microns, said coating having said spheres at the surfacethereof and being non-adhesive to the touch and said adhesive resinousbinder being exudable under the effects of imaging pressure at ordinaryroom temperatures to displace the polymer spheres and render the surfaceof the coat ing adhesive in the impressed areas.

2. A copy sheet according to claim 1 in which the receptive coating ispresent on one surface and the opposite surface contains a materialwhich is adhesive to the touch, said receptive coating having releaseproperties with respect to said adhesive material whereby said sheet canbe collected on a roll and then unwound without damage to the sheet, tothe receptive coating or to the adhesive material.

3. A copy sheet according to claim 2 in which the adhesive on theopposite surface is present in the form of spaced applications.

4. A copy sheet according to claim 1 in which the receptive coating ispresent on one surface and a pressure-transferable imaging layer ispresent on the opposite surface.

5. A copy sheet according to claim 1 in which the adhesive resinousbinder material is selected from the group consisting of polybutene,polybutadiene, butadiene copolymers, polyvinyl ether, polyisoprene andpolyisobutylene.

6. A copy sheet according to claim 1 in which the polymer spherescomprise synthetic organic polymer selected from the group consisting ofpolyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene.

7. Process for producing receptive copy sheets capable of being imagedby means of ball-point pen ink, pressure-sensitive transfer compositionsand liquid inks comprising the steps of:

a. producing a coating composition comprising a solution of from about25 percent to 90 percent by weight of an adhesive resinous bindermaterial dissolved in a volatile liquid solvent and from about 10percent to percent by weight, based upon the weight of said bindermaterial, of polymer spheres consisting of an inert synthetic organicpolymer, said spheres being insoluble in said volatile liquid and havingan average particle size of from about 1 to 40 microns;

b. applying said composition to the surface of a flexible foundationsheet as a uniform surface layer; and

c. evaporating said volatile liquid solvent to solidify said layer toform on said foundation an imagereceptive layer which has said spheresat the sur face thereof and is non-adhesive to the touch and has releaseproperties, said adhesive resinous binder being exudable under theeffects of.imaging pressure at ordinary room temperatures to displacethe polymer spheres and render the surface of the layer adhesive in theimpressed areas.

8. Process according to claim 7 in which the opposite surface of theflexible foundation is provided with a material which is adhesive to thetouch, but which is incapable of forming a strong bond with said imagereceptive layer when contacted therewith.

9. Process according to claim 8 in which the adhesive is applied to theopposite surface in the form of spaced applications.

10. Process according to claim 7 in which the adhesive binder materialis selected from the group consisting of polybutene, polybutadiene,butadiene copolymers, polyvinyl ether, polyisoprene and polyisobutylene.

11. Process according to claim 7 in which the opposite surface of theflexible foundation is coated with a thin pressure-transferable imaginglayer.

12. Process according to claim 7 in which the polymer spheres comprisesynthetic organic polymer selected from the group consisting ofpolyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene.

1. RECEPTIVE COPY SHEET COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE FOUNDATION HAVING ON THESURFACE THEREOF A RECEPTIVE COATING WHICH IS CAPABLE OF BEING IMAGED BYMEANS OF BALL-POINT PEN INK, PRESSURE-SENSITIVE TRANSFER COMPOSITION ANDLIQUID INKS, SAID RECEPTIVE COATING COMPRISING FROM ABOUT 25 PERCENT TO90 PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF A SOLID ADHESIVE RESINOUS BINDER MATERIAL ANDFROM ABOUT 10 PERCENT TO 25 PERCENT BY WEIGHT, BASED UPON THE WEIGHT OFSAID BINDER MATERIAL, OF POLYMER SPHERES CONSISTING OF AN INERTSYNTHETIC ORGANIC POLYMER AND HAVING AN AVERAGE PARTICLE OF SIZE OF FROMABOUT 1 TO 40 MICRONS SAID COATING HAVING SAID SPHERES AT THE SURFACETHEREOF AND BEING NONADHESIVE TO THE TOUCH AND SAID ADHESIVE RESINOUSBINDER BEING EXUDABLE UNDER THE EFFECTS OF IMAGING PRESSURE AT ORDINARYROOM TEMPERATURES TO DISPLACE THE POLYMER SPHERES AND RENDER THE SURFACEOF THE COATING ADHESIVE IN THE IMPRESSED AREAS.
 2. A copy sheetaccording to claim 1 in which the receptive coating is present on onesurface and the opposite surface contains a material which is adhesiveto the touch, said receptive coating having release properties withrespect to said adhesive material whereby said sheet can be collected ona roll and then unwound without damage to the sheet, to the receptivecoating or to the adhesive material.
 3. A copy sheet according to claim2 in which the adhesive on the opposite surface is present in the formof spaced applications.
 4. A copy sheet according to claim 1 in whichthe receptive coating is present on one surface and apressure-transferable imaging layer is present on the opposite surface.5. A copy sheet according to claim 1 in which the adhesive resinousbinder material is selected from the group consisting of polybutene,polybutadiene, butadiene copolymers, polyvinyl ether, polyisoprene andpolyisobutylene.
 6. A copy sheet according to claim 1 in which thepolymer spheres comprise synthetic organic polymer selected from thegroup consisting of polyethylene and polytetrafluoroethylene.
 7. Processfor producing receptive copy sheets capable of being imaged by means ofball-point pen ink, pressure-sensitive transfer compositions and liquidinks comprising the steps of: a. producing a coating compositioncomprising a solution of from about 25 percent to 90 percent by weightof an adhesive resinous binder material dissolved in a volatile liquidsolvent and from about 10 percent to 75 percent by weight, based uponthe weight of said binder material, of polymer spheres consisting of aninert synthetic organic polymer, said spheres being insoluble in saidvolatile liquid and having an average particle size of from about 1 to40 microns; b. applying said composition to the surface of a flexiblefoundation sheet as a uniform surface layer; and c. evaporating saidvolatile liquid solvent to solidify said layer to form on saidfoundation an image-receptive layer which has said spheres at thesurface thereof and is non-adhesive to the touch and has releaseproperties, said adhesive resinous binder being exudable under theeffects of imaging pressure at ordinary room temperatures to displacethe polymer spheres and render the surface of the layer adhesive in theimpressed areas.
 8. Process according to claim 7 in which the oppositesurface of the flexible foundation is provided with a material which isadhesive to the touch, but which is incapable of forming a strong bondwith said image-receptive layer when contacted therewith.
 9. Processaccording to claim 8 in which the adhesive is applied to the oppositesurface in the form of spaced applications.
 10. Process according toclaim 7 in which the adhesive binder material is selected from the groupconsisting of polybutene, polybutadiene, butadiene copolymers, polyvinylether, polyisoprene and polyisobutylene.
 11. Process according to claim7 in which the opposite surface of the flexible foundation is coatedwith a thin pressure-transferable imaging layer.
 12. Process accordingto claim 7 in which the polymer spheres comprise synthetic organicpolymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene andpolytetrafluoroethylene.